Ayer Shirley Regional School District

Respiratory Virus Guidelines

On March 1, 2024, the CDC released updated recommendations for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. This new guidance is for respiratory viruses like Influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 as they share similar transmission methods, symptoms, and prevention strategies. This unified approach aims to simplify recommendations and address common risks more effectively. The MA DPH recently updated its guidelines to match the CDC guidelines.

The new CDC and MA DPH guidance for respiratory viruses:

• When you have ANY respiratory virus - stay home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others.
• Return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
  • Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
  • You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medications).
• When you go back to your normal activities, take added precautions over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you are around other people indoors.
• Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that makes you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.

HOW HAS ISOLATION GUIDANCE CHANGED?

The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medications). Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.

It is important to note that the guidance doesn’t end with staying home and away from others when sick. The guidance encourages added precaution over the next five days after time at home, away from others, is over. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, a period of added precaution using prevention strategies, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.

We considered multiple options for adjusting isolation guidance at different lengths of time. In addition to fewer people getting seriously ill from COVID-19 and having better tools to fight serious illness, the CDC considered other factors such as the personal and societal costs of extended isolation as well as the timing of when people are most likely to spread the virus (a few days before and after symptoms appear). The updated guidance is easy to understand, practical, and evidence-based, as well as more aligned with long-standing recommendations for other respiratory illnesses.

In addition to the CDC’s Respiratory Virus Guidance, there were several special considerations added on March 27, 2024, for people with certain risk factors for severe illness, including older adults, young children, people with weakened immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people.

To read the complete report, click here. Also, the CDC has created an information FAQ page for the new respiratory guidance, available here.

NEW TIMELINE

Example: Person with fever and symptoms

Please reach out to Rene Paine, District Nurse Leader, at rpaine@asrsd.org if you have any questions or concerns.

School absences or dismissals for a medical appointment are excused with documentation from a doctor upon return to school. Dismissals recommended by the nurse due to injury or illness are excused. Students are excused from participation in physical education class if a physician's note is obtained. Students excused from physical education report to class as scheduled. If the physician writes a note for no gym "until further notice", a second physician's note must be received when the student is allowed to return to gym.

Students may carry medications such as inhalers and Epi-Pens for self-administration at school once prior approval has been received from the physician, parent/guardian, and the nurse. A student who carries an Epi-Pen on their person must still supply the nurse with an additional pen. Students who carry an inhaler at school must still have a written order from the doctor and written parental permission. A backup inhaler should be kept in the nurse's office. Students who do not have an EpiPen stored at the health office with a physician's medication order on file may not participate in any activity outside of the building, including field trips during the school day. Students must also carry their inhalers and/or EpiPen while participating in after-school sports.

If your child has had a serious illness or has had an injury at home, please notify the nurse. This is especially important in the case of a head injury or concussion as decisions may have to be made about participation in gym and/or recess.

School immunization requirements exist to protect students and members of their community from serious vaccine-preventable diseases by ensuring high vaccination rates.

The Immunization Requirements for School Entry resource outlines the required vaccines for child care/preschool, grades K-6, grades 7-12, and college. While MDPH outlines the required vaccines, local school districts are responsible for ensuring compliance with the stated requirements.

The school nurse confirms that the administration of the medication is absolutely necessary during school hours. Medications will be administered by the nurse if the following guidelines are observed:

• • Students are responsible for coming to the health office for regularly prescribed medications. Parents will be informed when students miss more than two consecutive doses of medication.

  • Prescription medications are administered by the nurse on a daily or as-needed basis. State law requires a signed physician's Medication Order form and parent/guardian's signature in order to dispense prescription medication. Forms are obtained from the nurse or the website or physicians may use their own forms. All medication orders must be renewed at the beginning of each school year or when there is a change in dosage.

  • Medications must be in a labeled pharmacy container and delivered to the nurse by an adult. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is available with parental permission documented on the Health & Emergency Form. Other over-the-counter medications in the original container may be supplied by the parent/guardian for the student's use at school as needed. Written permission from the parent/guardian is required as well as a signed physician's Medication Order form.

Students must have a current physical on file with the nurse at least every four years. New students must have a physical examination within one year prior to entrance to school or within 30 days after school entry. All students participating in sports must have a physical examination within the last 13 months before practice begins each season. The school physician conducts sports physical without charge 3 times a year at the beginning of each season. Appointments are scheduled through the nurse.

State Mandated Health Screenings

Schools are required by Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 57 and 105 CMR 200.000) to provide vision, hearing, body mass index (BMI), postural, and Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) health screenings to all students. Parents/guardians will be notified if a referral is necessary.

Students entering Kindergarten are required by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71 and Section 57, to have a vision screening by a physician. 

Vision: Annually in grades PreK through 5, once in grades 6 through 8, and once in grades 9 through 12

Hearing: Kindergarten through grade 3 and once in grades 6 through 8 and once in grades 9 through 12

Heights and Weights: Heights and weights are measured and body mass index (BMI) is calculated on children in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10. 

Postural Screening: The state of Massachusetts mandates that all students in grades 5 through 9 be screened for scoliosis. Parents/guardians will be notified prior to the screenings taking place and may opt out of the screening. Parents will be notified if referral is needed.

SBIRT: Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment is done in grades 7 and 9. The screening uses the CRAFFT + N tool as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Abuse.  Student screening sessions will be brief and conducted confidentially in a private, one-on-one session. Parents/guardians will be notified prior to the screenings taking place and may opt out of the screening.

Students are advised to stay home from school if they have any of the following symptoms:

*Child has had a fever greater than 100 within the last 24 hours (fever should be under 100 for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to school)

*Child has experienced vomiting/diarrhea within the last 24 hours

*Child has a communicable disease

*Child has an upper respiratory illness with significant coughing and/or nasal discharge

*Child has pain that requires the use of narcotic medications 

*COVID-19 symptoms listed under the COVID-19 section